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EXPLORAMA LODGE
LOCATION
Originally built in 1964 and located in an extensive Primary Rainforest Reserve 80 km/50 mi down the Amazon River from Iquitos, Explorama Lodge has undergone a facelift for its 45th anniversary. The 55 typical palm-thatched jungle lodge rooms now have private bathroom facilities! But don't worry, the Lodge has maintained its romantic atmosphere with kerosene lamps and torches for lighting, mosquito-netted beds, including accommodations for couples, and covered walkways to the Tahuampa Bar and Hammock House where you can relax surrounded by a myriad of rainforest sounds. Explorama Lodge offers a variety of adventures including the Seven Bridges Trail walk and a special Full Day excursion to the Canopy Walkway.
BASIC PROGRAMS
Ceiba Tops
2 Days / 1 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Ceiba Tops
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Twenty-five mile journey down the Amazon River to Ceiba Tops, where rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms provide the comforts of home in the rainforest. Afternoon hike in the beautiful primary rainforest reserve surrounding the lodge including many huge trees festooned with epiphytes. After dinner there may be local flute or guitar music at the El Toucan Bar or the guides are always ready to relate some of the many legends of the Amazon forest.
DAY 2
Ceiba Tops - Iquitos
Morning boat ride, spotting for dolphins, to visit a small village of Yagua Indians where your guide will explain the local Yagua Indian culture and how it has been affected by the arrival of Europeans and the passing of time. There will also be an opportunity to see some of the local crafts and for a demonstration of the blowgun which some of the Yagua elders still use for hunting. Afternoon transfer back to Iquitos for your departure flight to Lima.
Ceiba Tops
3 Days / 2 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Ceiba Tops
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Twenty-five mile journey down the Amazon River to Ceiba Tops, where rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms provide the comforts of home in the rainforest. Afternoon hike in the beautiful primary rainforest reserve surrounding the lodge which includes many huge trees festooned with epiphytes. After dinner there may be local flute or guitar music at the El Toucan Bar or the guides are always ready to relate some of the many legends of the Amazon forest.
DAY 2
Ceiba Tops
Morning boat ride, spotting for dolphins, to visit a small village of Yagua Indians where your guide will explain the local Yagua Indian culture and how it was affected by the arrival of Europeans and the passing of time. There will also be an opportunity to see some of the local crafts and for a demonstration of the blowgun which some of the Yagua elders still use for hunting. Afternoon walking excursion to the neighboring town of Indiana. Originally a Franciscan mission, Indiana has grown into a large river community with its own market, high school and small hospital.
DAY 3
Ceiba Tops - Iquitos
Your choice of morning walking or boating excursion to further enjoy the rainforest and Amazon River. Afternoon transfer to Iquitos and to the airport.
Explorama Lodge
3 Days / 2 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Explorama Lodge
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Fifty mile journey down the Amazon River to Yanamono Stream where Explorama Lodge is located. Afternoon hike along the "Lake Trail" through lowland rainforest which is seasonally flooded. During the high water season, this excursion is done by open boat! Night walk or open boat ride to enjoy the sounds of the rainforest and stars of the Southern sky.
DAY 2
Explorama Lodge
Morning walk along the "Bushmaster Trail", where scientific studies by the Missouri Botanical Gardens have found the world's highest biodiversity of trees per square hectare. Your guide will point out many plants used in medicine today and many that we may use in the future. Afternoon open boat trip along the Amazon in search of either of the two species of freshwater dolphin found in the river and a chance for an afternoon swim.
DAY 3
Explorama Lodge - Iquitos
Morning walk along a local river trail with stops along the way to visit the "ribereños" or river people, visit a river school, see the local sugar cane rum "factory" or visit our resident American medical doctor in her clinic sponsored by the Rotary Club. Transfer back to Iquitos for your departure flight to Lima.
Explorama Lodge / ExplorNapo Lodge
4 Days / 3 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Explorama Lodge
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Fifty mile journey down the Amazon River to Yanamono Stream where Explorama Lodge is located. Afternoon hike along the "Lake Trail" through lowland rainforest which is seasonally flooded. During the high water season, this excursion is done by open boat! After dinner, there is a chance to visit the Lodge's "Bar Tahuampa" where local musicians often play guitar and flute music or the guides will also be pleased to have you invite them to relate some of the many legends of the Amazon forest.
DAY 2
Explorama Lodge - ExplorNapo Lodge
After breakfast, a boat ride down the Amazon and up the Napo River to the ExplorNapo Reserve and ExplorNapo Lodge. Afternoon visit to the ReNuPeRu Ethnobotanical Garden located next to ExplorNapo and tended by a local shaman. This garden is used to show visitors rainforest plants used in modern medicine as well as examples of native plant remedies which science may utilize in the future. Evening excursion by open boat along the Sucusari Stream in search of caiman and to enjoy the night sounds and stars of the Southern sky.
DAY 3
ExplorNapo Lodge
Morning hike to the Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge spanning 500 meters (one-third of a mile) connected by tree platforms and reaching a height of over 35 meters (115 feet) above the ground. Here you encounter a "bird's eye view" of part of the rainforest rarely seen by man but accessible without any type of climbing skill or equipment. Afternoon boating excursion along one of the many Napo tributaries spotting along the way for birds and sloth. A stop is included for a try at river fishing with cane poles or a chance to swim.
DAY 4
ExplorNapo Lodge - Iquitos
Morning excursion to a black water oxbow lake formed when water from the Napo River became separated from the main flow of the river. These lakes are often covered with giant Victoria Regia water lilies and sometimes offer a glimpse of the elusive Hoatzin bird. Afternoon boat trip back to Iquitos passing the town of Francisco de Orellana, where a statue is erected to the intrepid explorer who became the first European to see the Amazon River in 1542. Transfer to the airport for departure.
ExplorNapo Lodge Basic Program
5 Days / 4 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Explorama Lodge
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Fifty mile journey down the Amazon River to Yanamono Stream where Explorama Lodge is located. Afternoon hike along the "Lake Trail" through lowland rainforest which is seasonally flooded. During the high water season, this excursion is done by open boat! After dinner, there is a chance to visit the Lodge's "Bar Tahuampa" where local musicians often play guitar and flute music or the guides will also be pleased to have you invite them to relate some of the many legends of the Amazon forest.
DAY 2
Explorama Lodge - ExplorNapo Lodge
After breakfast, a boat ride down the Amazon and up the Napo River to the ExplorNapo Reserve and ExplorNapo Lodge. Afternoon visit to the ReNuPeRu Ethnobotanical Garden located next to ExplorNapo and tended by a local shaman. This garden is used to show visitors rainforest plants used in modern medicine as well as examples of native plant remedies which science may utilize in the future. Evening excursion by open boat along the Sucusari Stream in search of caiman and to enjoy the night sounds and stars of the Southern sky.
DAY 3
ExplorNapo Lodge
Morning hike to the Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge spanning 500 meters (one-third of a mile) connected by tree platforms and reaching a height of over 35 meters (115 feet) above the ground. Here you encounter a "bird's eye view" of part of the rainforest rarely seen by man but accessible without any type of climbing skill or equipment. Afternoon boating excursion along one of the many Napo tributaries spotting along the way for birds and sloth. A stop is included for a try at river fishing with cane poles or a chance to swim.
DAY 4
ExplorNapo Lodge - Explorama Lodge
Morning excursion to a black water oxbow lake formed when water from the Napo River became separated from the main flow of the river. These lakes are often covered with giant Victoria Regia water lilies and sometimes offer a glimpse of the elusive Hoatzin bird. Afternoon boat trip back to Explorama Lodge passing the town of Francisco de Orellana, where a statue is erected to the intrepid explorer who became the first European to see the Amazon River in 1542.
DAY 5
Explorama Lodge - Iquitos
Morning walk along a local river trail with stops along the way to visit the "ribereños" or river people, visit a river school, see the local sugar cane rum "factory" or visit our resident American medical doctor in her clinic sponsored by the Rotary Club. Transfer back to Iquitos for your departure flight to Lima.
ExplorTambos Camp
5 Days / 4 Nights
DAY 1
Iquitos - Explorama Lodge
Reception at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama dock. Fifty mile journey down the Amazon River to Yanamono Stream where Explorama Lodge is located. Afternoon hike along the "Lake Trail" through lowland rainforest which is seasonally flooded. During the high water season, this excursion is done by open boat! After dinner, there is a chance to visit the Lodge's "Bar Tahuampa" where local musicians often play guitar and flute music or guides will also be pleased to have you invite them to relate some of the many legends of the Amazon forest.
DAY 2
Explorama Lodge - ExplorNapo Lodge
After breakfast, a boat ride down the Amazon and up the Napo River to the ExplorNapo Reserve and ExplorNapo Lodge. Afternoon visit to the ReNuPeRu Ethnobotanical Garden located next to ExplorNapo and tended by a local shaman. This garden is used to show visitors rainforest plants used in modern medicine as well as examples of native plant remedies which science may utilize in the future. Evening excursion by open boat along the Sucusari Stream in search of caiman and to enjoy the night sounds and stars of the Southern sky.
DAY 3
ExplorNapo Lodge - ExplorTambos Camp
Morning hike to the Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge spanning 500 meters (one-third of a mile), connected by tree platforms and reaching a height of over 35 meters (115 feet) above the ground. Here you observe a "bird's eye view" of part of the rainforest rarely seen by man but accessible without any type of climbing skill or equipment. Afternoon hike to the secluded Tambo clearing where small sleeping shelters offer an intense overnight camping experience in the rainforest. A night walk provides the possibility of seeing animals rarely seen during the day.
DAY 4
ExplorTambos Camp - Explorama Lodge
Morning return to ExplorNapo for a boating excursion along one of the Napo tributaries spotting for sloth, birding and fishing for piranha. Also a chance to visit some of the local river people called "ribereños" whose houses are seen along the river. Afternoon boat trip back to Explorama Lodge passing the town of Francisco de Orellana, where a statue is erected to the intrepid explorer who became the first European to see the Amazon River in 1542.
DAY 5
Explorama Lodge - Iquitos
Morning hike along the "Bushmaster Trail" where scientific studies by the Missouri Botanical Gardens found one of the world's highest biodiversity of trees per square hectare. Your guide will point out many examples of native plants used as remedies by local people. Afternoon return to Iquitos and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
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